Many metals, such as aluminum, corrode in the high-pH aqueous environment typical of water-based paints. Moreover, some dielectric materials, such as magnesium fluoride, are etched by the high-pH aqueous environment and/or contain a significant number of defects promoting environmental attack. Therefore, pigment flakes may be passivated and/or encapsulated with a metal oxide coating to inhibit environmental attack in water-based paints. However, an encapsulating metal oxide coating may not always be conformal, defect-free, impermeable to water, and inexpensive. In view of the foregoing, it may be understood that there are significant problems and shortcomings associated with current solutions and technologies for encapsulating pigment flakes with a metal oxide coating.